Perineal bath



E. P. ROBARE A ril 16, 1968 PERINEAL BATH Filed Oct. 23, 1965 1 IN\/VT\T(')R. E. Peter Robore ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,377,630 PERINEAL BATH E. Peter Robare, Louisville, Ky., assignor to American Standard Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,114 11 Claims. (Cl. 46)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to baths which are used for bathing the perineal area of the body. The bath consists primarily of a chair-like water receptor having a bottom wall, back wall, and two side walls. A water groove is provided in the bottom wall positioned approximately along the center line of the bottom wall extending from proximate the front edge of the bottom wall to the rear portion of the bottom wall. An inlet is provided in an upper portion of one of the side walls and an outlet is provided in the groove proximate the juncture between the bottom wall and the back wall.

This invention relates to perineal baths as are used for example in the treatment of patients during post-operative periods. Such perineal baths comprise water receptors in which the patient may sit, and in which warm or hot water may be introduced to fiow over the perineal area to bathe the area to promote healing and prevent infection.

One object of the present invention is to provide a perineal bath which allows the patient to sit naturally and comfortably, and which permits infirm or weak patients to seat themselves or raise themselves with minimum effort and strain.

Another object is to provide a perineal bath having smoothly curving juncture surfaces between the walls, said walls and juncture surfaces being devoid of germcollecting crevices or non-accessible hidden areas.

A further object is to provide a perineal bath which may be easily scrubbed down after each use and sanitized to minimize the danger of cross infection.

An additional object is to provide a perineal bath in which the water depth may be varied or controlled.

Another object is to provide a perineal bath having a system of water grooves such that the patients body confines the water to the intended body treatment area.

A further object is to provide a perineal bath wherein the water which is channelled across the perineal area flows directly to a water outlet without being allowed to collect in areas of the bath where it could cause infection.

A still further object is to provide a perineal bath having a water inlet, a water outlet, and a natural gravitational flow path from the inlet to the outlet to assure carry-off of any discharge from the treatment area.

An additional object is to provide a perineal bath having a natural water flow path which precludes any stagnant water areas and thus maintains a desired water temperature in the treated body area.

Another object is to provide a perineal bath wherein the water inlet is located in the bath side wall, whereby the area in front of the bath is left clear for convenient access by the patient.

A still further object is to provide a perineal bath wherein the water inlet is spaced above the spill level of the bath, thereby providing an air gap which precludes backflow of water into the supply.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged sectional view of one em- 3,377,630 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 bodiment of the invention taken on line 11 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the FIG. 1 embodiment taken on a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the FIG. 2 structure;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 44 in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 in FIG. 1.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a perineal bath comprising a water receptor 10, preferably formed as a one piece glazed, fired chinaware article by conventional techniques. The receptor includes a bottom wall 12, a back wall 14, and two side walls 16 and 18. If desired, the receptor may be positioned atop a hollow pedestal (not shown) for floor mounting, in which event headed bolts would be extended through slots in ribs 24 (FIG. 4) to secure the receptor and pedestal together. Alternately the receptor may be positioned on wall brackets having horizontal support surfaces un derlying ribs 24. Back wall 14 of the receptor is provided with a downturned lip or flange 20 which is hidden when the receptor is positioned against a. room wall 21. By first anchoring one or more brackets 22 on the building wall it is possible to hold the receptor against the wall in the manner of a conventional lavatory. In whatever manner the receptor is mounted, it is preferably located so that lip 32 is about fifteen inches above the floor line.

Preferably the receptor is reinforced by hollow tubular sections extending about its periphery. Thus, the back wall 14 is provided with a hollow tubular section 23 extending across its entire upper edge. Continuing forwardly:

The water receptor is of chair-like configuration such that the patient can comfortably sit therein with his arms resting on the upper edge surfaces 27 of side walls 16 and 18. The back wall 14 is preferably high enough to engage and support the patients back area up to approximately waist height. As shown best in FIG. 1, the front surface 30 of the back wall is slightly convex in vertical planes to conform to the contour of a persons back. As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface 30 of the back wall is generally flat in horizontal planes, whereby to engage and support the patients entire back area.

Bottom wall 12 has a suificient front-to-rear dimension such that the average patient can sit thereon with his knees above and slightly forward of the rim or lip 32 extending across the front edge of bottom wall 12. Lip 32 is preferably located about fifteen inches above the floor line, which permits the patient to sit comfortably on bottom wall 12 with his feet resting on the floor. As shown in FIG. 3, the center area of the lip is somewhat higher than the side areas, whereby the patient is caused to sit with legs spread apart.

Side Wall 16 has extended therethrough a threaded water inlet pipe 34, said pipe having a bell-shaped closure wall 36 on its right end, and a retaining nut 38 on its threaded area for securing same on wall 16. A suitable flexible or rigid water supply line (not shown) may be coupled to the left end of pipe 34 to feed water of a desired temperature through the pipe and against closure wall 36. Flow openings or slots are formed in the lower edge of wall 36 to channel the water downwardly in a non-splashing manner into a very shallow groove 40 formed in Wall 16.

As seen best in FIG. 1, groove 40 communicates with a somewhat deeper groove 42 extending across the front area of bottom wall 12. As shown in FIG. 2, groove 42 extends across the entire width of bottom wall 12, and communicates with a shallow groove 40a in wall 18; groove 40a is a mirror image of groove 40. By thus grooving both of the side walls and the entire width of the bottom wall it is possible to provide the water inlet in either side Wall in accordance with different water supply locations. It is necessary to firmly, vertically support the ischial tuberosities in order to keep the perineal area properly exposed to the flowing water. The groove 44 must therefore narrow down to a width of less than 4 /2 inches, and preferably about four inches. It is advantageous to keep the groove width at the maximum useable dimension, in order to prevent the patient from being able to shift positions during the treatment.

Extending rearwardly from groove 42 is a relatively deep groove 44. As seen in FIG. 2, groove 44 is relatively wide at its juncture with groove 42, but narrows as it proceeds rearwardly along the centerline of the receptor. Water flows downwardly along groove 46 then laterally into groove 42 under the patients leg, and then rearwardly into the wide portion of groove 44. The narrowness of groove 44 rearwardly of its juncture with groove 42 provides support under the ischial tuberosities of the patient.

Located at the juncture between bottom wall 12 and back wall 14 is an outlet opening 46 which is connected to a water discharge line (not shown). As illustrated in FIG. 1, outlet opening 46 is designed to snugly receive a hollow water overflow element 48. Preferably the overflow element is of sterilizable plastic material, and is provided with thin flexible fins (not shown) extending around the portion thereof which fits within opening 46. Accordingly when the overflow element is positioned within opening 46 the fins are deformed to frictionally grip the outlet opening surface. Different overflow elements of various different heights may be used interchangeably in opening 46 to provide different water heights; it is also contemplated that a single standard overflow element with graduated height markings thereon may be provided, in which case the standard element can be cut to any desired height to provide a desired head of water in the receptor. Preferably the overflow element is removed and replaced with another element after each use of the perineal bath. Reconditioning of the overflow elements may be accomplished in an autoclave.

It will be noted from FIGS. 2 and 4 that surfaces 59 r of the receptor are of a dished character; such that water tends to naturally gravitate into groove 44. Thus, any water tending to overflow from groove 44 is immediately drawn back again into the groove where it can flow to outlet opening 46. Opening 46 is located in the lowest portion of the bath and at the rearmost point of groove 44 such that the water has a natural gravitational flow path directly over the patients perineal area and thence through the outlet opening.

The water head in groove 44 is naturally raised in accordance with the height of the upper edge 52 of overflow element 48. However, the inlet water pressure and the elevated location of groove 42 will provide a continuous flow of desired temperature water over the patients perineal area. The patients body confines the flow to groove 44.

It will be noted that groove 44 communicates with an upwardly extending groove 54 in back wall 14. The juncture between the grooves forms a pocket which accommodates overflow element 48; thus water can flow into the pocket and thence up into groove 54 and over edge 52 of the overflow element. Groove 54 also relieves the fiat contour of surface 30 and permits the patient to rest comfortably without uncomfortable engagement between his spine and the hard chinaware surface.

It should be noted that the contour of the bath is designed to confine the water flow to the perineal area, without any stray streams or diversions. The water flow is desirably continuous with little or not stagnant areas. There is an assured carrying away of any discharge, and an assured maintenance of the desired water temperature, with no temperature drop due to non-flowing water collections. The bath is devoid of crevices or other hidden surfaces which could collect germs and interfere with sanitation after each use.

It will be further noted that the side location of the water inlet pipe 34 clears the area in front of the bath and thus facilitates easy seating and rising of invalid or weak patients. Upper edge surfaces 27 on the side walls are preferably located at about normal chair arm height to enable the patient to assist himself into and out of the bath with minimum strain.

The description of the invention has necessarily proceeded on the basis of a specific embodiment, but it will be appreciated that variations and modifications of the illustrated device may be resorted to as come within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed:

1. A perineal bath comprising a chair-like water receptor having a bottom wall, back wall, and two side walls; said walls having smoothly curving juncture surfaces devoid of germ-collecting crevices; a water inlet discharging into the receptor through an upper portion of one of the side walls; said receptor having a water groove leading from the water inlet downwardly along the inner surface of said one side wall, thence laterally in the upper surface of the bottom wall to the longitudinal centerline of the receptor, and thence rearwardly along the centerline to the back wall; and a water outlet located in the groove proximate the juncture between the bottom wall and back wall; said bottom wall being dish-shaped, and the groove descending as it proceeds rearwardly along the bottom wall toward the outlet, whereby the water has a natural gravitational flow from the inlet to the outlet when the user sits in the receptor.

2. The bath of claim 1 wherein the back wall has a groove extending upwardly from the area of the outlet opening along the receptor centerline.

3. The bath of claim 2 and further comprising a hollow water overflow element positioned within the back wall groove and removably mounted in the outlet opening for maintaining a pool of water of predetermined height in the water groove.

4. The bath of claim 1 wherein the water groove narrows appreciably as it proceeds rearwardly along the receptor centerline, whereby the bottom wall provides support for the patients ischial tuberosities.

5. A perineal bath comprising a chair-like water receptor having a bottom wall, back wall, and two side walls; said bottom wall being generally dish-shaped and having a lip at its front edge for containment of water in the receptor and a water groove in its upper surface and extending from proximate said lip rearwardly toward said back wall, said groove being from about four to about four and one-half inches wide in a region intermediate said lip and said back wall for supporting the users ischial tuberosities; said receptor having a water outlet opening located in said groove in the wall area defining the juncture between the bottom wall and back wall; and a hollow water overflow element removably mounted in the outlet opening for receiving used water flowing out of the receptor; Said overflow element projecting a predetermined distance above the surface of the bottom wall to maintain a pool of water of predetermined height in the receptor.

6. The perineal bath of claim 8, further comprising an outlet opening in said water groove, proximate said back wall; a hollow water overflow element removably mounted in the outlet opening for receiving used water flowing out of the receptor; said overflow element projecting a predetermined distance above the surface of the bottom wall to maintain a pool of water of predetermined height in the receptor.

7. A perineal bath comprising a water receptor having a bottom wall, back wall, and two side walls; said receptor having a water groove including a groove portion running in the upper surface of said bottom wall at about its centerline toward the back wall; said groove portion being relatively wide at its front portion and narrowing to a width of from about four to about four and one-half inches as it proceeds toward the back wall, whereby the users ischial tuberosities are supported by the upper surface of said bottom wall.

8. The bath of claim 7 and further comprising a water inlet located in one of the side walls for feeding water into the groove, said inlet including a deflector for directing the water downwardly along the side wall surface in a non-splashing manner.

9. The bath of claim 7 wherein the back wall, side walls, and bottom wall are provided with hollow tubular reinforcing edges.

10. The perineal bath of claim 7 wherein said back wall is relieved along its centerline to prevent contact of the persons spine with the back wall.

11. The bath of claim 4, wherein the water groc narrows to a width of from about four inches to abc four and one-half inches.

References Cited STATES PATENTS Cook 4- Strube 4- Stubbs 4-2 Ehrhardt 4- Gaston et a1. 4- Martin s- 4- Haskins 4- Stafford 42 Kerns et a1. 128-3 FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED 2/ 1963 France.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

